Council slammed as 'clueless' by traders after a special meeting is to be arranged to discuss rent alleviation for common good fund tenants in the Victorian Market – more than a year after the start of the first lockdown
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Just days after traders at the Victorian Market were told it would be “irresponsible” of Highland Council to give them a rent break, it has been confirmed a special meeting is to be held to look at options for additional support.
Traders in the council-owned part of the Inverness market want a rent holiday or reduction to take account of the difficult conditions created by Covid-19 and lockdown.
They pay rents to the Inverness Common Good Fund and say other landlords have given similar support to their tenants.
Last week Councillor Graham Ross, chairman of Inverness’s Covid recovery group, told the Inverness city committee it would be irresponsible to consider Victorian Market traders in isolation when nearly all businesses had faced a tough time in the last year.
Traders were referred to the range of national government support available instead.
“To fully understand the implications of any city committee actions to assist council or common good fund business tenants we must first carry out full financial, economic and equalities assessments,” he said.
It was announced yesterday that a special meeting will now be held on April 22 to address the need to consider the options for supporting tenants.
It received a lukewarm response from jeweller Willie Morrison.
“It seems like a long time to wait for people to get an emergency meeting,” he said. “It is just more stalling tactics. I feel that we are being strung along.”
“I just can’t see what they have to gain from this. I do know what we have to lose – but they don’t want to hear it. The council’s reputation with business is bad, but it will be rock bottom now. They’re clueless.”
Councillor Ron MacWilliam, who has been supporting tenants, said: “Having wasted the past year going round in the same secret circles, a meeting has been called for two months time.
“The lack of urgency is shameful.
“It’s getting to the point where those hogging positions of civic leadership need to either start co-operating with the business and wider community or just move aside.”
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